CHARTRES:

Chief town of the department of Eure-et-Loire, France. From time immemorial Jews were established at Chartres, occupying a special quarter called "Rue aux Juifs." In 1394 their synagogue, which was in the Rue Saint-Père, was transformed into a hospital, becoming the property of the parish of St. Hilaire. In the "Réponses de Rabbins Français et Lorrains," p. 15, mention is made of , interpreted by the editor as "current coin"; but by Neubauer, in "Rev. Etudes Juives," iii. 155, with more reason as "coins of Chartres." There was, in fact, a mint at Chartres, which was called "Chartrain," and in Old French "Chartain."

Among the prominent rabbis of Chartres have been Mattithiah of or , a well-known scholar who flourished at the time of Rashi; R. Joseph, Bible commentator; and Samuel ben Reuben, a liturgic poet.